Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Wednesday 12/13 A.M. Quickie:More on AI, Matsuzaka Deal-Making

Remember the old "Daily Quickie Readers" group that I set up for various ESPN.com "pick 'em" games? It's back for Bowl season! Click here to play College Bowl Mania and search for the group "Daily Quickie Readers." There is no password necessary to join. I doubt we'll get the 10,000 participants from last year's NCAA Tournament Challenge, but let's see how we do. Stealing a page from Deadspin, the winner gets their very own post on this blog (uh, if they want it). Click here to join in!

AI Trade Watch: You can forget about the dream tandem of Artest and Iverson on the Kings. The Maloofs are no longer interested. Fools. That would have been the craziest twosome ever.

Here's the latest: AI turned down a trade to the Bobcats yesterday, which was smart. Why go from a non-contending team to another?

The hot rumor is GoldenState. The Sixers can claim they insist on Monta Ellis*, but the NY Daily News has a rumor that GSW would trade Baron Davis and Andris Biedrins, which seems like a steal for Philly.

(* - Add Ellis to my argument that the NBA's age rule is ludicrous. Ellis came straight from high school, his stock plummeted on draft night and everyone said "Mistake!" and look at him now: The most coveted asset on the entire team. And that's in his SECOND year in the NBA. Please don't tell me he'd be this good if he spent last year playing at MississippiState. From the vast majority of qualitative evidence, a year in the NBA is better training for the NBA than a year of college hoops.)

Will the Red Sox sign Daisuke Matsuzaka by tonight's midnight deadline? Signs are pointing to no YES! Eh: I always knew they'd make it happen. Boras ain't no dummy. Earlier: I blame both sides. The Red Sox are cheaping it up after breaking the bank on that posting fee; Scott Boras is, predictably, being unreasonable.

Tracy McGrady is out indefinitely with back problems: Who had December 12 in the pool?

Mock Isiah Thomas all you want (and you will), but he IS doing a better job than Larry Brown, which is why I suppose James Dolan gave Isiah through the end of the season to prove himself, ending any speculation there will be some sort of "Xmas Massacre."

What a strange Lakers win: They were up 27 with 9 minutes to go and the Rockets got it down to within 2 before Kobe and Co. pulled it out.

I'm glad Roger Goodell called Bengals owner Mike Brown to essentially ask "WTF?" about the team's troubles with the law. It's an embarrassment for the franchise and the sport. Imagine the uproar if this was a college football team; why is Marvin Lewis getting a free pass on this?

MLB Hot Stove: Jason Jennings to the Astros from the Rockies. He upgrades on altitude, but loses Colorado's "humidor" advantage.

Tiger Wins PGA Tour Player of the Year: Yawn. Is it good or bad for golf that they don't seem to have the major pro sports league awards fetish of only letting the best player win an award a few times before getting bored, even though he might remain the best player in the league? (The "Michael Jordan Rule"... soon to be the "LeBron James Rule.")

The Dodgers won't file tampering charges against the Red Sox over JD Drew. I wonder if that's some sort of old boy's code among baseball owners.

I'm late on this, but Troy Smith wasn't able to take his Heisman home on the plane. What: Did it not fit into one of those quart-size Ziploc baggies you put your mini-shampoo in?

Nick Fazekas is the greatest college player in Nevada school history. Not sure what that means, because he sure ain't the greatest college player in Nevada state history. That would be (in this order): (1) Larry Johnson, (2) Arman Gilliam, (3) Shawn Marion, (4) Stacey Augmon, (5) Reggie Theus. Hang Time, baby!

NFL Net to offer preview on Time Warner Cable, Cablevision: I don't know whether it's a goodwill gesture or a Trojan horse, but all I know is that Rutgers fans in the New York area will now get to see Rutgers' bowl game. If the NFL Network had made this move weeks ago and asked Rutgers fans – in a quid pro quo of good faith – to call Time Warner or Cablevision to ask for the NFL Network, it would have been more effective.

So we have Dice-K and D-Mat, which one of these annoying nicknames will stick? Of course keeping in my mind that it's a good possibility that neither of them will stick b/c he'll be back in Japan and no one will care in two weeks.

I couldn't give a crap about the Miami video thing. Teams sign cut players from the rivals just to learn more about the playbook. This is the same thing, nothing to see here.

I think AI should have went to Charlotte. He's got enough years in him to turn a franchise around, it's easy to get into the NBA playoffs, and then at least he'll be remembered for that by his new city. He won't be remembered if he goes to a contender unless he wins it all.

So if he can't go to Dallas or Miami or Chicago, go the opposite route. Go to Charlotte. You'll be their biggest star for a decade or more.

What I found funny, is that the NFL network doesn't have an NFL game the week they are giving it away for free! (read that somewhere, no confirmation)

Now what pisses me off about the whole thing is that I have the NFL network on digital cable but the games are still blacked out. According to my cable company (Everest in KC...screw TW) the NFL is wants an extra $500K for the games on top of what the company pays for the NFL network already. This is one I hope the NFL loses. I saw the Thanksgiving game and the production is awful and Gumble is horrible at play-by-play.

jhawkjjm: They have a game that week - but it's the Giants game. Any local game will still be on a local network (probably channel 9 or 11) so the fact that the NFLN won't be showing the game isn't relevant for that week.

Is it good or bad for golf that they don't seem to have the major pro sports league awards fetish of only letting the best player win an award a few times before getting bored, even though he might remain the best player in the league?

It's good. I don't find Tiger's dominance boring, and don't weep for all his poor contemporaries that can't hang with him. And while the idea of actually giving the best player the award for being the best player may be foreign to the folks who vote for other major sports awards, it seems downright...sensible to me. Besides, who else are we all dying to see take it? Who's supposedly the "exciting" choice, since you're so bored having to watch perhaps the greatest golfer ever?

I joined the college football thing as hman7708. Just figured you would all want to know. lol

If the deal on the table from Boras is truly 6 yr at 11 per, I can't see why the sox wouldn't take it. I mean, I'd prefer a 4 year deal with two option years, but 66 mil does seem a little more reasonable. hell aren't they paying Clement like 10-12 a year and he might never pitch again...

It is relevant as Time Warner and Comcast are in more areas than just New York. TW is here in Kansas City. So In NY/NJ area you'll get the game on local coverage, just like the Chiefs' games are covered. But it's about the games when the local team isn't playing that matters. But its ironic that this whole hoopla is over the NFL games. Here is the quote form the KC Star:

"The NFL is offering one free week of the NFL Network to Time Warner and Cablevision, two of the nation’s largest cable carriers that don’t carry the NFL Network.

The week being offered for free would be from Dec. 24 through Dec. 30, but it will not include the one NFL game scheduled Dec. 30 between the Giants and Washington on the NFL Network."

The only benefit to the KC area is that they get to see the Rutgers-Kstate bowl game.

Here's the latest: AI turned down a trade to the Bobcats yesterday, which was smart. Why go from a non-contending team to another?

Um, actually the latest (from about 7pm yesterday) is that Bickerstaff claimed that was 'crap' and that the Bobcats were only involved as a 3rd team for salary cap reasons.

By this way, this proves Dan doesn't actually read the columns, just the headlines, in case anyone was wondering. Why SI.com and ESPN.com still claim this as the headline (despite multiple denials from multiple areas included in the column) is beyond me. Laziness on the webmaster's part?

How can you blame Marvin. These are grown men who are doing irresponsible things. The thing is that most of these players who are having problems would just be picked up by another team if he cut them. It is embarrassing, but what is a man suppose to do?

The Red Sox offer 6 years at 8 Million and BorASS wants 6 at 11 I can not see why they would not get a deal unless BorASS will not come off that number. Maybe they can come to a comprimise say 6 at 9.5 with incentives for wins, all star game, cy young that could make it a 13-15 million a year deal.

How can you not blame the coach for not installing any sense of discipline in the team and the players. Do you see any other team other then the Bengals lead by Marvin Lewis that has had this many problems in one season.

Who does not think that the Bengals might end up with more arrests then wins?

I believe that the Red Sox had really have no intention to sign Matsuzaka. They placed an absurd bid to prevent the Yankees, who are in dire need for starting pitching. To top it off, its at no cost because they get the $51 mil back, if they don't sign him, so Matsuzaka goes back to Japan. Next year, he's up for his last posting (his contract ends with the Lions, so he's a total free agent), and the Red Sox will probably post, yet another, absurd bid to prevent the Yankees from signing him at really no cost.

In order for this posting system to work, the MLB teams need to be held to their bids, regardless of signing. Or, the bid is incorporated into the salary.

wuzupg - I think you are completely wrong. The Red Sox did not just post there bid to keep the Yankees from getting him. Hell if the Red Sox did not post the bid they did then the Mets would be trying to sign him now. Since they had the second highest bid behind the Red Sox.

The Team has flown to California twice and japan once in an attempt to sign Matsuzaka. The real hold up has been BorASS. This morning was the first time that I have heard anything solid coming from the BorASS side that says how much they are looking for.

The Red Sox would like to try and win a World Series and know that pitching helps you win a Series that is why they bid for matsuzaka not to stop the yankees from getting him.

Personally with the sides only 3 million apart and agreed on the number of years I think this deal gets done.

My parents have Patriot Media, a small cable company in central Jersey, and they get the NFL Network on a digital sports teir, but they don't get the Thursday night game, they get blank screen that says they are unwilling to pay NFL nets fees to show games, crazy shit. I have Service Electric cable and I get all of the Thursday games in HD

Of course the Red Sox want this guy. How do you keep a fan base with their first championship in a millenia interested in a mediocre team?

ASIA, baby, ASIA! We're serious about ASIA! Look at this guy, he's mysterious, he's awesome, he beat the world! He's going to be ours! Look at us! Over here! Forget the Celtics Cheerleaders! NOW we're serious about Asia, and we're not getting some fat guy. He's a world champion!

Plus, you know, there are now going to be Japanese ads in the Sox Broadcasts. So they really have to sign this guy. Too bad his agent knows it.

It'll get done. Bore-A$$ is a lot of things, but he's not stupid. There is a lot of money in this for him, too, and I think he knows he needs to get this done because if he gets a great deal for Matsuzaka it would give him a leg up on future Japanese players coming to MLB. I think he's a lot like Rosenhaus, he a media whore who just loves to make people squrim.

Rafael, if you want people to use the correct name, at least spell it correctly: Matsuzaka.

As for MLB making bids binding, that would give far too much leverage to agents. If the Sox had to part with 51.1 million no matter what, Boras would have them over a barrel.

The Sox absolutely want this guy, this is not some subterfuge to keep him out of NY...if anyone expected this to happen before the 11th hour, they aren't familiar with how Scott Boras works, all the more so in this case because the only angle he has is to theaten to take Matsuzaka back to Japan

I think a big point is being missed in this whole Dice-K story...the fact is the guy is still under contract with seibu, and if this were an american pro sports team, one team could sell the rights to the player and the player would have to continue being paid under the current contract.

With the Japanese system, it gives the player an opportunity to benefit by negating their current agreement and get paid more, and the japan club gets needed money.

Boras wants to see a system in place where the bids are limited to 3-5 times the players current contract, which would allow more than one team to place a bid on the player, and give him the opportunity to play one team against one another. THAT will not happen, because that would not benefit the Japanese clubs because in essense it lowers their "free agent" money they can make by developing talent in their league. Take that away from them, and they wont be so quick to ship out their talent.

Simple fact is that Dice-K is not a free agent, he is under contract. I understand that Boras wants to express the value of his client, but the fact is he is, and never was, a free agent, and wont be for another 2 years.

I mean, they are offering more money for a non proven entity than ever offered before...that is good faith to me, not an effort to block the yanks.

Blaming Marvin for Pro Athletes who are all grown men for their actions off the field would be like me blaming my parents if I was to get into trouble today. Everyone is responsible for their own actions.

I love Boras. He sits back, does absolutely no work until crunch time, makes Boston and Theo look like idiots for possibly not getting the deal done, he will then get a deal done tonight at about 3AM and say he took less money than D-Mat was worth because he didn't want bad relations with the Japanese and he will look like a hero. Good you play that out any better if you were him. Plus he'll make millions off the advertising and promotions in the US but more importantly in Japan. This guy is no idiot boys and girls he knows exactly what he is doing and is laughing at Theo and the Sawx all the way to the bank. 2) The NFL network will be picked up by every major cable company before next season. The networks don't want to pick it up now because they want to wait until something is actually on the network and this season is almost over. Most of them didn't get the jump on it at the right time and then the cost outweighed the benefits to pick it up for this season. If they would have known the demand it would have brought prior to Week 1 they would have all picked it up this year. 3) That Dolphins story is garbage, thats why we need T.O. so we don't have to talk about stupid things like that all week (can't believe i said that)4) You are all in trouble in the bowl pick em and I'm taking you up on your free post when i win Dan5) AI goes to the Warriors in a deal I think that doesn't involve Ellis. What a team the 76ers will be with Webber and Troy Murphy, two very overpaid PF, and you see why Philly fans are crazy

and if in a fortune 500 company, let's say, a bunch of high level executives were doing illegal shit outside of the office, but it was affecting the company in some way... of course the boss would need to step in and control the situation.

Everyone and their mother (RS Nation, Gmmons, Olney, et al.) knew when the bid went to the Red Sox that this would be a $100 mil plus endeavor. And in fact, it's been pretty much known from Day 1 the price tag for Matsuzaka would be at least $10 mil per year.

Heck, the Sox coughed $10 mil a season up to Beckett- who by the way would be the #3 man (by skill, not by pay) in the rotation behind Schilling and Daisuke.

Right now, at a $3 mil per year gap between the RS and Boras, the Sox can split the difference (i.e., add $1.5 mil per year) and still be under the market for this kid at $9.5 mil per year long-term for 6 years.

That makes the deal $108,111,111.11 if you include the bid price. When you are talking Monopoly money like this, does a difference of $9 mil (the $51.1 mil bid + the Sox' $8 mil x 6yrs offer) really make or break this negotiation?

The Red Sox brass has become a laughing stock, and that 2004 World Series looks more and more like a fluke than sound planning based on their ongoing ineptitude since. Not re-signing Pedro, the Clemens begging/groveling, the Arroyo trade, no trades at last year's deadline, even the Beckett/Lowell trade- really what have they done right in the last 3 years? (Other than extending Big papi's contract.)

It's not so much about the NFL network being picked up, its that NFL wants the network on BASIC cable. It doesn't want it on a digital tier, it wants it on the most basic cable package availabe.

I have the NFL network but honestly don't think its worth it. There's nothing on there that is "must see". As beibs raised earlier, the NFL can't black out local games, those games will be picked up on the local channels. So its not necessary to see all your local team's games. It will only "hurt" you if:1) the local channels don't pick up the local team's game - which is a violation of the tax-exempt or anti-trust agreement or whatever2) you are a die hard football fan who will jump off a building if you don't get to watch every game

I disagree a little bit about the REd Sox brass being a laughing stock. Not resigning Pedro wasn't that bad of a move. They didn't want to offer him the number of years he wanted. Of course this is with the gift of hind-sight seeing that Pedro got hurt this year and missed some of the season and will probably miss some of next season. I'd say the bigger mistake was not signing Derek Lowe.

The Willy Mo for Arroyo deal was dumb, I'll agree with that. You don't give up solid MLB pitching for someone who might be good. Beckett and Lowel...eh jury's still out. The worst part of that was giving up Hanley Ramirez. He was the shortstop for the next 6-7 years.

Arroyo is a 500 pitcher who had a good year becuase he changed league and going to the NL is always good for a pitcher. Wily Mo has the potential to be a superstar and I think in the long run the Red Sox will work out getting the better of this trade.

The only reason the Arroyo trade looked bad last year was that the Red Sox had several pitching injuries and made it seem like they could use him more becuase of that.

It's not so much about the NFL network being picked up, its that NFL wants the network on BASIC cable. It doesn't want it on a digital tier, it wants it on the most basic cable package availabe.

It's slightly more than that: the NFL Network wants to charge them more than typical for a basic cable channel. If the NFL Network made its price more reasonable, TWC et al would have no problem putting it on basic cable. So the NFLN is basically trying to have its cake and eat it too...which would cause cable rates to go up for everybody.

(And don't think I'm a cable company apologist. Their ridiculous 'Net Neutrality is BAD for Consumers' ad campaign makes me want to punch a hole in the wall every time I see it)

the Boston Herald just announced that while no official deal is in place, Matsuzaka and Boras are getting on Henry's plane and coming to Boston. They met all night, and will continue to work on the plane. No final deal, but they're apparently close.

In an Eastern Confrence that is the worst thing to ever take the court, a one or two game improvement to this point is HARDLY "doing a better job", especially to the point that he should be retained as either GM or Head Coach. The NBA should invoke the "good of the league" clause (or whatever it was) to allow the Knicks to cut the entire team then have an expansion draft. At least then they may have a chance of getting better within the next 3-5 years.

This is a little late to the party but - the Bronson Arroyo deal even in hindsight doesn't look bad. Sure he had a great first three months last season but overall his numbers were average at best.

Arroyo 14-11 w/ a 3.29 ERA

Josh Beckett was 16-11 w/ a 5.01 ERA

People in Boston were calling the Beckett deal an unmitigated disaster at some points last season and even on this board I've seen it referenced as the jury being still out. It's already pretty common knowledge that the NL is the weaker division and Arroyo his first time through the NL dominated (9 wins before the all-star break).

If you even think for a second that Arroyo would have done better in the AL as a starting pitcher for the entire season last year you're kidding yourself.

Sure Wily Mo Pena had some downtime but when Coco Crisp went down with injury had Pena not been on the team the Sox would have had Adam Stern playing center field for 2 months and even though at the end of the season it didn't matter around July it would have seemed like all hope was lost.

Not hanging on to Hanley Ramirez might turn out to be a bad move but I'm not willing to say that a kid who hit .292 with an OBP of .353 was worth hanging onto when in return you got 16 wins out of Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell hit .284 with an OBP of .339 plus he played gold glove quality third base for the entire year.

Also just heard on the Radio that you might be crossing Vernon Wells of the free agent to be list according to the toronto globe and mail the blue jayts offered wells a 7 year deak worth 120-130 million

Clearly the Sox are going to get this thing hammered out. They want the Red Sox to be Japan's team.

And they will be.

If they get Daisuke Matsuzaka on top of already getting Hideki Okajima, and the rumor is that they are also on the verge of signing Masumi Kuwata, they will be the team everyone in Japan wants to play for.

Sure the Yanks have Hideki Matsui and hope to have Kei Igawa, but it's not the same as the Sox bringing in three guys in a 2 week span.

"FOR THE LAST TIME PEDRO WOULD NOT OF SIGNED WITH THE RED SOX" is not correct English. Just because it sounds that way when you speak, does not make it correct. It only means you aren't pronunciating correctly.

The correct way is "FOR THE LAST TIME, PEDRO WOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED WITH THE RED SOX.

BTW, as a Reds fan, I was very disappointed that we gave up Wily Mo. The guy is electric and we'll wish we had the power when Griffey retires and/or Dunn gets traded.

The Knicks are only better this year because Eddy Curry has finally gotten into a groove with his team. Maybe, behind the scenes, Thomas has something to do with that, but that is the only reason they are better this year than last. Given that, I don't know if they're really that much better. They're definitely not playoff worthy.

And, people who perpetuate the D-Mat nickname need to be slapped, unless they think it's official or something. It's boring, and a rip off of other equally boring nicknames.

*Quick Japanese lesson: pronounce the u for about a tenth as long as you would in English. That's why it's practically silent in his name. They also have different words for their numbers depending on the shape of the objects you're referring to. How's that for confusing?

If you can understand what was being written (even if the spelling, grammer, tenses are messed up) who gives a crap...let it go. Congrats, you are smarter than the person taking a five minute break from work to post a comment. If it makes no sense at all then throw a comment at the person, otherwise, if a person can't spell Matsuzaka, tough shit, live with it, we all know who they are talking about.

I dont know if its caving, or reality...like i said before, this guy wasnt a free agent, and is unproven...he got a deal higher than any non proven entity...and got 6 years to boot. that is a long term commitment.

whatever happened to theo and crew never wanting to do a deal longer than 4 years, which is what they told pedro and damon...hmmmm...

I am secretly wishing that nooch and cmfost independently typed exactly the same thing, instead of copying and pasting from somewhere. That would be weirdly awesome.

ndyanks: I was talking about "of"/"have", not Matsuzaka. And I don't think there's anything wrong with teaching correct English, when you've got entire channels on TV devoted to the opposite. That is, as long as you're not being a jerk about it.

As for the Red Sox giving him Six years, they actually may have saved money in the long run. Being that he can not be a free agent for 6 years if he signs a mlb contract he would be eligible for arbitration at the end of whatever length contract and let say he win 16,17 and 20 games in the 1st 3 years of the contract then he goes to arbitration he would be likely based on today's salary be looking at getting 14-16 Million

Not trying to be a jerk - just people have been dicks to me for mispelling names before and mainly its because I don't really feel like going to espn.com and looking up the correct spelling. Just overall, if you know what they are talking about why try and make the person look like an idiot for no reason.

You know what it is ND? Some people just have to much time on there hands so they have to find something to do, so they read comments and try and correct people and make them look like idiots when all they are doing is making them loo like asses.

Rafael since you brought up the whole proper English topic how about this one. Pronunciating is not a word I think you meant the word annunciating. If you are going to be the grammar Nazi you should have known this.

In an interview a few moments ago on Boston sports radio station WEEI 850 AM, Red Sox principal owner John W. Henry said that no deal between the Red Sox and pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka had been struck, at least not before the parties boarded a plane bound for Boston earlier today.

“Obviously we’re close enough that they’re all on a plane together," Henry said, "but there’s been no deal."

“Unless it’s happened on the plane and they decided not to call me," he joked.

Wait, you're taking a Pats injury report as gospel? I mean, as a fantasy team owner, I could tell you that last season, from Week 1 to Week 17, Tom Brady didn't leave that thing even though he wasn't hurt the whole season!

And one little note on the Matsuzaka thing: the day it was announced that the Sox won the bidding, I heard it repeated a few times that with Boras involved, it was guarenteed that a deal would get done no sooner then the 29th day. So why is everyone so surprised that it took this long to get a deal done?

With regards to the NFL Network, in Canada they're not allowed to broadcast the NFL weeknight games (broadcasting rights I'd guess). Instead, the NFL Network feeds go through TSN and the NFL Network plays footage/stories of old school games. Pretty interesting twist there.

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DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.